Prominently emblazoned on the poster advertising “Gilda Live” is the curious assertion that “Things like this can only happen in the movies”, a rather bizarre statement for a film which is a shameful compendium of lukewarm leftover material previously presented- with obvious alterations -on broadcast television. Collecting a number of characters she made famous on the “Saturday Night Live” television show, original cast member Gilda Radner follows fellow alumni Chevy Chase, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd to the big screen in this concert film which replicates her 1979 one-woman stage show “Gilda Radner: Live From New York” during its run at the Colonial Theater in Boston, though instead of making the broad leap to the cinema with material which might challenge the young comedienne out of the comfort zone of already proven, repetitive presentations of characters, the material is very familiar territory to veteran watchers of those early years of “SNL” with the venerable staples of her comedic repertoire- Roseanne Roseannadanna, Emily Litella, Judy Miller, Lisa Looper et al., though what proved funny on initial broadcast, and more so in the live stage performance, becomes tiresome and strained on the third go-round, the film coming across as a crassly mercenary attempt to suck the well dry of an experience that was already on a screen only smaller, and free.

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About chandlerswainreviews

I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pauper, a poet, a pawn and a king, not necessarily in that order. My first major movie memory was being at the drive-in at about 1 1/2 yrs. old seeing "Sayonara" so I suppose an interest in film was inevitable. (For those scoring at home- good for you- I wasn't driving that evening, so no need to alert authorities.)Writer, critic and confessed spoiler of women, as I have a tendency to forget to put them back in the refrigerator. My apologies.

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If you don't like what you see, what the heck- it's free!

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truth."

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Clearly if this little darling had been better versed in film quotes she wouldn't have ended up as a big bug appetizer. DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! Enroll today at BIJOUX U., otherwise known as FLIM FLAM FILM TALK, the greatest film blogsite this side of the otherside. Become well versed in filmology, cinemaology and overpriced popcornology all for nuthin' a serving. Just click on the photo above and enjoy the ride. Accredited by the academics at SMARTERIN U. FILM SCHOOL and operating while avoiding the cloud of federal indictment since 1806.

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THE SEEKING OF WISDOM

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FILMS DEMANDING REDISCOVERY:

Michelangelo Antonioni's neglected "Identificazione di una donna" relinquishes the metaphysical mire which had plagued the director for over a decade, and offered an introspective view of life, creation, sex and love. A film worthy of attention and serious reappraisal.

Dusty Things on the Shelf

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For cryin' out loud, watch your fingers because if he hasn't had his peanut butter, he gets really cranky!

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Converting Populist Stooges Into Critical Thinkers In The Blink Of An Eye!

IMAGES FROM THE DRIVE-IN

Jane Fonda stars in Roger Vadim's 1968 outer space sex comedy, but is it worth the trip in the old Pontiac or does it crash and burn on take-off? Read the review at NITES AT THE DRIVE-IN CINEMA to find out.

MANDATORY CINEMA FOR THE CRITICAL MIND

The essential 1967 Russian film "Viy" was actually the first horror film produced in the Soviet regime.

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All material displayed is protected under copyright 2011 by Chandler Swain, Chandler Swain Reviews and parent companies therefore and whatnot. No material will be copied without the written permission of above parties unless the offender wishes to suffer a cruel fate worse than any experienced by a spouse of any reality program housewife, skank or pseudo-trash celebrity. Thou hast been warned. Just kidding.

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THE CRITICAL ESTABLISHMENT : AN INTRODUCTION

What is it we seek from the Cinema? It all depends on your point of view.

For some, the movies are a source of seeking refuge from everyday existence, a release from daily tensions and anxieties. This is escapism and it has been the driving factor of the Populist attraction to the movies since the origin of the form. However, if one were to alter the view and regard film without merely the Populist limitations of escapist diversion but also as an Art Form, the perspective deepens and enters the realm of Critical Thought.

Though inconsistent in perspective, each side has validity, and is actually far more dependent on the existence of the other than would first seem possible. In a nutshell, it is a battleground between perceived verisimilitude against the aesthetic Ideal.

In formulating the foundations of The Critical Establishment,
it is necessary to understand the characteristics of each perspective, to note the seemingly contradictory similarities and disparities, and their often inextricable interconnections.

THE CRITICAL ESTABLISHMENT : The Reviewer as Vox Populi

In examining both Populist thought and Critical Thinking in Film, it is useful to define the key players in the field: the reviewers and the critics. Though seemingly cut from the same cloth, there is a world of difference. Reviewers are the professional manifestation of the Populist front; reviewers have a primary focus on entertainment value while critics evaluate under an aesthetic criteria, reviewers reward immediate gratification whereas critics seek artistry.

With the burgeoning of internet filmspeak, there is a misconception that the old model of printed press criticism is being eroded by the emergence of an equal internet critical roster. This, however, is a fallacy. One thing is for certain, even with a cursory glance at popular internet movie sites: reviewers are plentiful and genuine criticism of merit is as scarce as water in the Mojave Desert.

The reviewer will generally spend the bulk of their time reprinting the plot synopsis of a film, often almost verbatim from the printed materials of the studio. While this assists handily in filling a column, it does little to illuminate the worth of a film. The reviewer will often spend an inordinate amount of time relaying such unessential data as background gossip, "best" lists and an alarming volume of space on film finances- usually relating to either the film's budget (as if the writer had a financial stake in the enterprise) or opening weekend receipts, neither of which has the slightest bearing on the film's aesthetic achievement.

MOVIES YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO MISS

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MANDATORY CINEMA FOR THE CRITICAL MIND

Stephane Audran in Claude Chabrol's meditative psychological suspense film "Le boucher" virtually redefines how thrillers should be conceived, by concentrating solely on character rather than narrative, the finale of the film, rather than the standard increase in tension, achieves a far more satisfying sense of personal tragedy.

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